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Venerable Father                                Emmanuel D'Alzon

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1810 - Emmanuel d'Alzon born on August 30 in Le Vigan

1828 - In November he enrolled in Law School

1834 - On December 26, he was ordained a priest in Rome

1843 - He purchased the College of the Assumption in Nimes

1845 - At Christmas, he founded the Augustinians of the Assumption 

1860 - He founded the first mission, in Australia

1863 - As a result of Pope Pius IX's request, he founded the Eastern Mission in Constantinople (Istanbul)

1865 - He founded the congregation of the Oblates of the Assumption

1869 - 1870 - First Vatican Council

1870 - He participated in the First Vatican Council as his Bishop's theologian

1871- He founded the first alumnate or "apostolic school" (minor seminary)

1880 - He created La Croix Revue which in 1883 became the daily newspaper La Croix.

1880 - He died on November 21 at the College of the Assumption

1991- On December 21, Pope John Paul II declared him "Venerable"

Father Emmanuel D'Alzon in his own words

"As I study religion, I discover, in the depths of Catholic dogma, such a great wealth ... that it seems to me that the only way to strengthen the flagging spirits or heal the moral fatigue that everyone laments today is to expose society to the brilliant light of the eternal Word. The most intimate thought of my soul is that the world needs to be penetrated through and through with a Christian idea; otherwise it will fall apart. And the world will not receive this idea but from men who will be taken up with it before all else in order to proclaim it in every form that it might assume. They say the world is evil. No doubt, passion turns it away from what is good. But, I believe, most of all, that the world is ignorant. Therefore we need to teach it and to do so in words that it can understand." (Letter, March 1835)

“One of the missions of the Assumption is to achieve unity, a unity of love, feeling, faith longing and the determination to bring about the triumph of the Church. For this, we need a boundless heart; we should love everything Our Lord loved.”

“It is up to us never to lose heart. If they suppress our educational establishments, if they prevent us from teaching in the open, then let us go and teach underground, in the cellars and catacombs.” (19th Meditation)

“We must always avoid in our work to sign it with the name of any member or of the house in which we hold our meetings lest we should accustom ourselves to consider it as man’s work. Christian works are works of God alone.” Elsewhere, writing to a Conference of the province, he writes: “Between the Centre and the Conference, there is no question of authority or obedience, but only Charity, one aim, one work, and union of hearts in Christ.” (letter to Fr Bailly a.a)

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